Seven MHS Players Commit to Play College Football

If you were fortunate enough to see their performance on the field during the 2017 football season, you won't be surprised to learn that seven Monroe High School's senior football players have signed letters of intent to continue to play football in college. According to MHS Athletic Director, Mark Henderson, this is the most athletes from one team to commit to playing college athletics in the school's recent history. In addition to the seven players that signed today, three more football players are still deciding which college football offer will be the best fit for them.

With classmates, teachers, coaches and family members present, Isaiah Lewis, Josh Jerome, Isaiah Cole, Nathan Mead, Kainalu Batongbacal, Elijah Tofilau and Lucas Rhodes officially signed their letters of intent today on the 2018 National Signing Day.

Isaiah Lewis, son of Tabitha and Avery Lewis, has committed to play football at Eastern Washington University and plans to study Kinesiology/Exercise Science. Lewis was named the Wesco Defensive Player of the Year in 2018 and has lettered in football for three consecutive years. He also participates on the MHS Track team.

Josh Jerome, son of Dana Davis and Gregg Jerome, has also committed to play football at Eastern Washington University and plans to study Fire Science. Jerome has received a plethora of awards and honors throughout his football career, including Honorable Mention Defensive Line, First Team Offensive Line (3x), First Team Defensive Line (2x), Second Team Defensive Line, First Team All-Area Offensive Line (2x), First Team All-Area Defensive Line, Second Team All-Area Defensive Line, Blue-Grey All American Defensive Line, First Team All-State Offensive Line, and Second Team All-State Defensive Line. In addition to lettering in football for 4 consecutive years, Jerome has also lettered two years in basketball and track.

Isaiah Cole, son of Jodie Cole and Eric Cole, has committed to play football at Whitworth University and plans to major in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology to pursue a career in Law Enforcement. Cole has broken eight school records, been named Player of the Game nine times, was a team captain and has been honored as First Team All-Wesco (2x), Second Team All-Wesco (3x) and Second Team All-Area (2x). A well-rounded athlete, Cole has lettered for four consecutive years in football, basketball and track and is currently a basketball team captain.

Nathan Mead, son of Jeff and Jan Mead, has committed to play football at Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire and plans to pursue a degree in Communications. Mead has lettered for four consecutive years in football, was a 2017 team captain and has been honored as the Second Team All-Conference, First Team All-Conference (2x), Second Team All-Area, First Team All-Area, 2017 AP State Team, and the 2017 Cascadian State Team.

Kainalu Batongbacal, son of Merry and Leland Henobio, has committed to play football at William Penn University in Iowa and plans to study Applied Technology. Batongbacal has lettered for three consecutive years in football and four consecutive years in track. He has been honored as the First Team All-Wesco Returner and a First Team Wesco Athlete.

Elijah Tofilau, son of Christina Crittenden and John Tofilau, has committed to play football at Arizona Western College and plans to study Communications. He has been honored for two years and a Second Team All-League and Second team All-Area player. He has lettered in football for three years and track for two years.

Lucas Rhodes, son of Chalcie and Levi Rhodes, has committed to play at Missouri Valley College and plans to pursue a degree in Psychology. Rhodes has lettered in football and was named Second Team All-Wesco.

Beaming with pride for his players, Monroe's Head Football Coach, Michael Bumpus, acknowledged that it is rare to have this many players in one year continue on to play in college and says he was fortunate to get to coach young men with such talent and is proud of the example they set for underclassmen. "All of their hard work in the classroom and on the field has resulted in some incredible opportunities for these young men to continue their education."